"Goodnight Mommy" is definitely one of the most peculiar Thriller (and movies in general) I saw in recent times, one of those for which it took me a while to fully start to enjoy it a bit more (even if I never found it dull or bad in any way)
It certainly has a unique identity, and it manages to raise many doubts as well many considerations, not just because of its story, but especially because of its style in direction and camera shooting.
The movie voluntarily induces a sense of high weirdness, changing between a slower sense of contemplation, especially thanks to the division between moments in open spaces and the claustrophobic ones inside the house, the most evocative of them all.
It builds a good contrast between the everyday life of two siblings playing together and the growing craziness.
The principal flaws I found were right in some of these parts, which I believe were going a bit too far, and being way too much confusing, like some of the mother's reactions, a bit too much severe and angry, or some other moments without a real reason to be there, like when the twins, while they're "interrogating" the mother, suddenly start to fight each other without a real reason.
And also some of the moments where they are outside the house, like when they enter in that "cave" at the beginning, I cannot sincerely comprehend it wholly, and also what was the reason to put all those bones and human skulls where they find the cat, was it a crematory? I think they just wanted to make it more disturbing, when actually there was no point in it.
But then again, this may be because, after all, the whole thing is seen through the eyes of children, so there's a perfect sense for these exaggeration of reality.
And yes, I do think many could be right in which the final twist could be seen as far too obvious from the start, and I confess they had already spoiled it to me before; but even if I didn't already know of it, I probably would've figured it out pretty soon ... maybe?
On the other hand, if it was put so obviously, then maybe the real point was to NOT have a twist, but simply to observe how the kid(s) would react to it, maybe we got wrong in searching for a mystery ... but then again, who knows?
This is one of those movies that, for some, might need more rewatches, but it surely shows an evocative and despite all interesting nature to be seen at least once.
It certainly has a unique identity, and it manages to raise many doubts as well many considerations, not just because of its story, but especially because of its style in direction and camera shooting.
The movie voluntarily induces a sense of high weirdness, changing between a slower sense of contemplation, especially thanks to the division between moments in open spaces and the claustrophobic ones inside the house, the most evocative of them all.
It builds a good contrast between the everyday life of two siblings playing together and the growing craziness.
The principal flaws I found were right in some of these parts, which I believe were going a bit too far, and being way too much confusing, like some of the mother's reactions, a bit too much severe and angry, or some other moments without a real reason to be there, like when the twins, while they're "interrogating" the mother, suddenly start to fight each other without a real reason.
And also some of the moments where they are outside the house, like when they enter in that "cave" at the beginning, I cannot sincerely comprehend it wholly, and also what was the reason to put all those bones and human skulls where they find the cat, was it a crematory? I think they just wanted to make it more disturbing, when actually there was no point in it.
But then again, this may be because, after all, the whole thing is seen through the eyes of children, so there's a perfect sense for these exaggeration of reality.
And yes, I do think many could be right in which the final twist could be seen as far too obvious from the start, and I confess they had already spoiled it to me before; but even if I didn't already know of it, I probably would've figured it out pretty soon ... maybe?
On the other hand, if it was put so obviously, then maybe the real point was to NOT have a twist, but simply to observe how the kid(s) would react to it, maybe we got wrong in searching for a mystery ... but then again, who knows?
This is one of those movies that, for some, might need more rewatches, but it surely shows an evocative and despite all interesting nature to be seen at least once.